A student participates in a practical nursing course at Meridian Community College. Submitted photo

Meridian Community College’s Practical Nursing Program is once again setting the bar high — earning continuing national accreditation and standing as one of only two programs in Mississippi to hold the status.

The MCC program underwent a peer-reviewed site visit in September 2024 as part of the continuing accreditation process. The review included a self-study written by MCC’s faculty and a site visitor report. These materials were evaluated by the national Evaluation Review Panel in April and forwarded to the Board of Commissioners, who awarded the program continuing accreditation — the highest level possible.

MCC’s Practical Nursing Program has been nationally accredited since 1984. With this new approval, the program will not be revisited for another eight years.

“Continuing accreditation reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire PN faculty,” said Bethany Files, Practical Nursing Program director. “We are proud of the standards we’ve set and the success of our students.”

The accreditation also signals to future employers that MCC’s graduates have completed a rigorous, high-quality program. Some employers prefer to hire graduates from accredited programs because they know those individuals have met nationally recognized standards, noted Dr. Lara Collum, MCC associate vice president for nursing and healthcare education.

The program’s success is also reflected in high retention rates and strong performance on the NCLEX-PN® licensing exam. Faculty work closely with students, offering support and consistency to help them reach their goals.

MCC’s one-year Practical Nursing Program prepares students to provide basic nursing care in a variety of clinical settings. Graduates are eligible to apply to the Mississippi Board of Nursing to take the NCLEX-PN® exam and become licensed practical nurses.

Learn more at meridiancc.edu/practicalnursing.